This Thursday, November 30, the ESAT Les Ateliers d’Alba team in Montauban represents the South-West at the 25th Sodexho pastry competition organized at the Lenôtre culinary arts school. Before returning to Paris on December 4, this time for the final of the Cap’Handicook competition hosted by star chefs. An exceptional human adventure.
The alarm will ring early this Thursday, November 30 at ESAT les Ateliers d’Alba for Sarah Gousseau. This young woman, passionate about cooking, will take the plane to Paris, with the main cooking instructor Eric Druais and the Sodexho chef of the establishment Eric Laceppe. Destination the prestigious Lenôtre culinary arts school where the ESAT team from Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne) will represent the South-West during the national final of the “Un pour tous, tous pour un” pastry competition.
A competition organized for the 25th year by Sodexho with the aim of developing the autonomy of people with disabilities through cooking.
In this area, the Ateliers d’Alba, an establishment managed by the Opteo foundation, have real know-how. “With our central kitchen, we serve 2,900 meals per day, whether in retirement homes, hospitals like that of Albi or nurseries. And we want to develop a catering activity,” explains director Lucien Schmidt.
Sarah was able to tell the jury about her dessert without any apparent pressure, and her happiness at the awards ceremony was as beautiful to see as her work.
He will of course be traveling to the capital this Thursday, to support the Ateliers d’Alba team. During the regional final which took place on October 10 at the CFA in Blagnac, Lucien Schmidt also got his hands dirty. “Following a last minute no-show, I was the one who found myself in the kitchen. »
It is this dessert, called “Le Healthy gourmand” which enabled ESAT Les Ateliers d’Alba to qualify for the national final.
That day, Sarah’s dessert called “the healthy gourmand” was favored by the jury.
“She was able to tell the jury about her dessert without any apparent pressure, and her happiness at the awards ceremony was as beautiful to see as her work. Sarah’s journey within ESAT is truly a beautiful story and her evolution a reward for professionals,” underlines Lucien Schmidt.
The Paralympic vice-champion of the 100 meters, sponsor of the competition
For the national final, eight teams are competing this Thursday in Paris. The challenge: to make the best “champion dessert for athletes”, a theme which of course echoes the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For the 2nd year, it is Paralympic athlete Timothée Adolphe, Paralympic vice-champion over 100 meters at the Tokyo 2020 Games and multi-medalist at the French, European and World championships, which sponsors the competition.
Lucien Schmidt outlines the program for the day: “From 1 p.m., we start cooking. At 3 p.m., the desserts will be presented to the jury. The latter deliberates at 4:30 p.m. and the awards ceremony is scheduled for 5 p.m. »
The ESAT team of course dreams of winning the 25th “One for all, all for one” competition and of seeing the dessert made by Sarah integrated into the menus served in the 1,600 medico-social establishments managed by Sodexho in the hexagon.
Monday, time for the Cap’Handicook final sponsored by Michel Sarran
A happiness that never comes alone, the Ateliers d’Alba will also be competing on Monday December 4 in Paris for the final of Cap’Handicook, a competition organized at the Pavillon Cambon by starred chefs such as Michel Sarran from Toulouse or Michel Sarran from Aveyron. Arm. “There, we have to go by car because we have to bring kitchen utensils and robots. The challenge consists of making eight plates, hors d’oeuvre, main course and dessert, from surprise baskets,” explains the director.
Four people with disabilities from ESAT de Montauban are participating in this final: Daniel Balthazar and Arnaud Faca will be in the room setting the tables while Sarah Gousseau and Emilie Schoenberger will get the ball rolling in the kitchen. “For us, it is very interesting to participate in these competitions as part of the inclusion of people with disabilities. It really gives them self-confidence, it values them and it’s also a great reward for the supervisors,” recognizes Lucien Schmidt.
Three weeks before retiring, after 22 years at the head of ESAT Les Ateliers d’Alba, he knows that he will still experience strong emotional moments in Paris alongside this formidable kitchen brigade!
2023-11-29 15:35:49
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